From James Warren

[dateline] Boston Octr the 16th: 1774

[salute] My Dear Sir

I Recd yours of the 18th Sepr1 with A pleasure and satisfaction that render my Negligence in not Answering it before
almost Inexcusable. I shant trouble you at this Time with any Apologies, but leave
your Candour to Excuse me till I have an Opportunity to do it on A Social Evening
att Braintree or Plymouth and Improve the Short Time I now have in Another way. Great
has been my Anxiety since you left us not only for the publick determinations of your
August Body but for your Health on such a Journey in a Season not the most favourable.
I am however relieved by finding the last in A good State [and] by hopes that the first would be as I [could] Wish. That America will save the Massachussets or Perish with her,2 is a Resolution worthy of the Greatest Assembly that ever met on this Continent,
and such an one as you can easily suppose I wish to see Carried into Execution, and
more especially at a Time when Indeed { 191 } our Affairs and Circumstances are such as require not only Great but Immediate support.
It can be no longer A question whether any People ever subsisted in A State of Nature.
We have been and still remain in that Situation, with this Additional Misfortune,
that we dare not Attempt to Form A Civil Constitution or redress our Inconveniencies,
least our Attempts should be disapproved of at Philadelphia and that perhaps made
A Pretence to Justine our being left to the Mercy of our Enemies. You will Learn by
the Bearer of the Meeting of our Provincial Congress at Concord on last Tuesday and
their proceedings.3 We are A Large and I think A Respectable Body, but in perfect Leading strings, Intirely
and professedly dependent on you for Motion if not for Being. I am Sensible of your
many difficulties. I pity and pray for you. We are not without ours, our Constituents
forming great Expectations from us, while we are Embarrassd by a Multitude of—difficulties
from all quarters. We are all Sensible of the necessity of A Military Force to Oppose
the Encroachments and Insults of our Enemies and that to Form support and Controul
them, A Civil Goverment is necessary. But how the first is to be Established or the
last Formed is a question which is left to Ourselves. We should be perhaps divided
in Sentiment about [it].4 What shall be the model of the last is certainly the most Interesting. We Impatiently
wait for Revere5 who we flatter Ourselves will bring us some decisions on that Subject not only to
Animate but Unite us. But as I write in A hurry and under disadvantages I must leave
this Subject to your Other Friends and Correspondents who have not only more leisure
but Abilities to handle it. Mrs. Warren is here and Joins heartily in Wishes for your
Health and Success in your Undertakings. We Called on Mrs. Adams in our way here and
had the pleasure to find her well. You will Undoubtedly hear from her by this Opportunity.
She has Engaged to go to Plymouth with Mrs. Warren this week, who Cant wait for the
Riseing of our Body. Though my Hopes from Philadelphia are somewhat damped by what
I have seen and heard since I came to Town, I will hope for A happy Iss[ue] however that be I hope to see you in due Time and Am with Great [Respect] Your Sincere Friend and Humb. Servt.,

[signed] Jas. Warren

My Compliments and regards to Mr. Cushing and Paine and my Friend Mr. Adams tho' he
has forgot me. I suppose he cant see or think of a small Man while in such an Elevated
Station. I need not if I could, tell you how much pleasure a Line from you would give
me.

RC (PHi:Gratz Coll.); endorsed: “James Warren Oct 16. 74,” and by JA in a later hand: “The Husband of the curious Historian!”; Tr (DLC:Force Transcripts, Misc. Corr.); endorsed: “Copied from the original in the possession
of Mr. Deeth, Sept. 17. 1852. The original is to pass into the hands of Hon. V. L.
Pruyn, Albany.” Except when otherwise noted, letters and words in brackets are taken
from the Force Transcript where the RC is stained.

1. Not found, but see William Tudor to JA, 26 Sept. 1774, note 1, above.

2. This phrase appears in the letter to Richard Cranch of 18 Sept. and was published in the Boston Gazette, 26 Sept. See William Tudor to JA, 26 Sept., note 1, above.

3. On the First Provincial Congress, see William Tudor to JA, 22 Sept. 1774, note 2, above. Warren represented Plymouth.

5. Paul Revere, who regularly carried messages between Massachusetts and the Continental
Congress, left Philadelphia on or about 11 Oct., according to an entry of that date
in Samuel Ward's diary: “Met, finished the resolves relative to the Massachusetts,
and dismissed the Express” (Burnett, ed., Letters of Members, 1:71).